


Elegy

by Elrakismk2



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Fix-It of Sorts, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24232588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elrakismk2/pseuds/Elrakismk2
Summary: A neverending nightmare, but a nightmare is only a nightmare. As he once said, "Beyond darkest night waits a new dawn".Or,You tried to save Haurchefant from dying, over and over and over again.But everything is not what it seems.
Relationships: Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Comments: 2
Kudos: 51





	Elegy

**Author's Note:**

> It's the Groundhog Day AU with a fix-it ending.
> 
> All rights belong to Square Enix Ltd.  
> All mistakes are mine.

You spent the first moments after you woke up staring blankly at the ceiling. Your throat was hoarse from screaming, your back was drenched with sweat, and your eyes were stinging with tears that were long gone. You couldn’t remember what the dream was about, only the image of a bleeding sunset got burned into your mind.

You didn’t understand why you used the word  _ bleeding _ , but all you could feel was hollowness. As if someone had ripped your heart out and all there was left was a blackhole.

It was how you walk into the Congregation the next day.

One look at the haunted look on your face, Haurchefant rushed over immediately and put his hands on your shoulders, his eyes worried but his hands were warm and comforting.

You shook your head before he had a chance to speak, “I’m okay, Haurchefant. I didn’t sleep well, that's all.”

He smiled at you, “I’m just making sure our hero isn’t overtaxing herself.”

“Shut up.” You laughed, just a little, “I’m probably just nervous.”

Though you had no idea what to be nervous about.

He chuckled at that, letting go of you, and you started to miss the warmth almost right after. His aether lingered around you for just a little while more, and you felt yourself gradually relaxing, even if it was just by not tensing up your shoulders.

Almost the entire trip into the Vault was spent in your own thoughts, you didn’t really care about Estinien taking out his frustrations on the guards, nor the Heavens’ Ward’s obvious primal energy. The haunting image of your dream was stuck in your head while the sun was setting outside the grand windows of the Vault, and the red flowers in the garden were almost burning into your retinas. Your hands started to shake again, and this time there wasn’t anybody to ground you. By the time you stepped into the Hall of the Spear, the blood-colored light had almost consumed the entirety of the Vault.

Haurchefant caught up with you right after you defeated Charibert in a trance, followed closely by Lucia and Estinien, with an injured but otherwise intact Aymeric.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Haurchefant frowned, waving his hand before your eyes, “We can take it from here if you want. The hard part is over.”

You shook your head stubbornly, looking up at his handsome face bathing in the warm light of the twilight. You didn’t know how to explain the uneasiness you felt about the sunset, but being here with Haurchefant had made everything better—like every other time.

Aymeric looked over at you and nodded his head.

You took a deep breath, pushed open the door leading up to the platform outside.

Aymeric was shouting about change and revolution and lies, and the Archbishop took off on an airship without turning back. It was natural, to rush forward when Haurchefant signaled you.

A blinding light shined in the corner of your vision, and before you could react, that stake of light was stuck in your mind forever. Everything was over too fast, too sudden.

Aymeric was yelling again, and you could feel your friends rushing over to your side, but all you could sense was his blood. Red, red, red—like the sunset. Like the flowers.

You fell to your knees numbly, reaching for his hand in a frantic trance. He coughed, smiled at you, his eyes full of warmth like that very first day you met.

“Forgive me…I couldn’t—”

“Don’t speak,” You cried, tears were pouring out of your eyes unstopping. You clutched his hand tighter, and tried to reach for your staff even though you knew it was a lost cause. Broken. Gone. You could feel his aether was disappearing into somewhere you couldn’t follow.

“Is—is it okay to tell me now?” He asked, the blue of his eyes were slowly mixing with the red of the sunset.

You stared at him. Grief and pain had clogged up your airways, and all you could do was to nod.

Haurchefant’s smile widened, and he tried to touch you. You held his hand to your chest, feeling your heart pounds against his palm.

“I love you too.” He said. He was still smiling, warm and fond, but the light in his eyes were slowly fading.

You whispered, holding his hand tighter, “Haurchefant?”

“I could feel you no more…” He sighed, “You feel…so far away—”

“I’ll save you, don’t go, don’t leave me alone—” You sobbed, but he shook his head slowly and smiled at you again.

“Don’t look at me so,” He coughed again, a splatter of blood ruining his dear face, “a smile—better suits a hero.”

You wanted to tell him you didn’t want to be a hero, you wanted to tell him you love him, you wanted to tell him so much more but all you could do was to form a broken smile.

He seemed relieved. Then all of a sudden everything was shattered before he could say anything else. His smile, his warmth, his aether. They disappeared in a whirlwind into the unknown and all you could see was red, red,  _ red— _

That was the second time you had lived through his death.

You spent the first moments after you woke up crying. You remembered it now, and you knew it wasn’t just a bad dream. The red of the twilight was bleeding into your soul and you wanted to scream because you were so useless that you couldn’t save your loved one twice in a row.

And you probably deserved this torture.

He knew all this time that you were in love with him. And because Haurchefant was too kind for his own good he never said anything. You were like a fool—always trying to hide the fact that you couldn’t take your eyes off him, couldn’t stop looking at his hands, his smile, his eyes. It was a sudden realization for you, that you had fallen in love with someone. As the Warrior of Light you were always moving, always busy, always on the way to fight someone or something. But then Haurchefant was that one constant in your life. You’d write to him, see him whenever you pass through Camp Dragonhead, and he would listen to you rant about your adventures, your life, your worries. Endless patience.

Wasn’t it ironic that you were always too late to save  _ anyone _ ? Especially when you were supposed to be the savior.

And now you’d gotten a second chance. You didn’t care if it was a curse or a blessing—you just knew that if you gave this up you’d never forgive yourself.

This time you wouldn’t let him die.

Not again.

“Haurchefant.” You called to him right before you were about to confront the Archbishop, “Could you—”

He blinked, “Yes?”

“I’m worried about the leftover guards, you see—” You gestured awkwardly, “I was thinking if you can stand guard, Estinien and I would be enough anyways.”

The Knight frowned at you, “I can, but I’m more worried about you. Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

“I’ll be fine,” You smiled at him.  _ I’d tell you after I’ve taken out that arsehole. _

He nodded, “I’ll be here then, be sure to bring back good news, my friend.”

You laughed, and crossed the threshold to that place of your nightmares.

Estinien was eyeing you strangely, he probably sensed the tension screaming around you, but you were grateful that he wasn’t going to say anything.

It should work. Haurchefant was not here. He wasn’t going to block the blow meant for you, and you were able to dodge it this time. He wasn’t even going to see—

The blow didn’t come. Zephirin was on that airship with the others, looking at you with an empty look. Then a loud noise of metal on metal sounded on the other side of the door, along with Haurchefant’s voice, calling out your name in a desperate, warning tone. You saw the disappointed look on the Archbishop’s face and your blood ran cold.

“What did you do?” You shouted. Lucia was already rushing back.

“I was going to take you out from behind, turns out you’ve bested me.” The Archbishop snickered, “But not next time.”

You didn’t listen, barely catching the shadow of someone else landing on the airship.

The sunset was as bloody as the first two times on the other side in the Chancel. Lucia was kneeling beside Haurchefant with a pained look on her face.

“Lord Haurchefant!” Aymeric yelled, “What—”

“Someone—” Haurchefant’s blue eyes locked with yours, “from the Heavens’ Ward, is trying to—”

“We knew,” Aymeric’s hand was shaking with rage, “it was his plan all along, luring you all in…I shouldn’t have…”

Haurchefant was reaching for you, and as if you were just snapping out of a trance, you went to him, grasping his hand in yours just like the last time.

“It was all my fault.” You whispered, “If I didn’t ask you to—”

“Then you would have died,” Haurchefant murmured, “and I would never forgive myself—”

You were crying again, tears blurring out his lovely features but you couldn’t stop them from pouring out.

Not again, _ not again— _

“Don’t cry,” Haurchefant’s voice was soft, affectionate, warm as always, “a smile better suits a hero, right?”

“I’m going to save you,” You choked out, ignoring Aymeric’s sad expression, “no matter what it takes. How long it takes. How many times it takes.”

He sighed. A short, broken breath.

“I—”

The world shattered again, along with the blood-red dusk.

“I don’t think you should go with us.” You told him when you dragged your feet into the Congregation. You knew you looked awful, but you couldn’t bother to do anything about it.

“Not even ‘hello’ when we meet again?” Haurchefant grinned, “You hurt me sometimes, my friend.”

Despite everything, this made you smile—just a little. He always had that energy around him, making you feel as if everything was going to be alright.

“No, listen to me.” You shook your head, reaching out to grab his hand, his eyes widened but didn’t pull back.

“What is this about?” He asked, “We have everything planned out. Did something happen?”

If only he knew.

You swallowed, trying desperately to not sound panicked, “I just—thought, it’d be safer if we have someone here too. We planned everything, yes, but Hilda is busy enough trying to keep the High Houses under control, what if something happens to the Foundation when we are all up there in the Vault?”

“It isn’t without reason.” Lucia said, “True, we are all counting on Miss Hilda’s intervention, and Ser Handeloup is here with the Temple Knights, we still have to be aware of the outside forces. Our hero is right, Lord Haurchefant, if you would—”

Haurchefant smiled at you, “It is unfortunate that I can’t witness your magnificence in battle, but, as a Knight, I would always be at your service, you only need to ask.”

You blushed—at least from the heat of your face you were pretty sure you blushed. His smile widened, but didn’t say anything to expose your secret.

Relieved, you soon departed with the others.

Saved.

He was going to be saved. And everything would be normal again. Crackling fire. Hot chocolate. Letters and flowers.

Everything  _ was _ normal. The world didn’t shatter when you faced the Archbishop alone, dodging the spear that was aiming for you. Estinien wanted to give chase but you told him Aymeric needed to rest first, though in reality your priorities were elsewhere and you couldn’t be bothered about the whole deal with Azyz Lla.

Normal. Until it wasn’t.

Just when you thought you weren’t going to be haunted by the bloody sunset again—

Red, red, red.

Not the sky. The fire. Everything collapsed. Broken. Burnt to ashes.

“What the bloody—” Estinien swore, running into what used to be the plaza. And you just stood there, frozen, the red of the fire seemed to be burning the hope inside you as well.

“Handeloup! Damn it, you with me? Wake up!”

You looked up to see a greatly injured Handeloup, lying just inches away from the collapsed statue of the first Azure Dragoon.

“…Estinien?” Handeloup groaned, “Wait, Lord Haurchefant is—”

“Don’t sit up, you moron!” Estinien sighed, “Just—tell us what happened.”

“The truth leaked out, we don’t know why,” The Elezen Temple Knight was shaking, “and people from the heretic broke through our defences. They burnt down the entire plaza because what they believed in isn’t a speculation anymore. Lord…Lord Haurchefant protected most of the civilians, and he—”

“Died.” You whispered. Your tears seemed to have run out, and you just stood there, staring into the unextinguished fire.

In the end, you didn’t even get to see him one last time. You didn’t even get to say goodbye.

You were falling again.

The shattered pieces of the world were cutting your heart open, and all that was left was red.

The red of that unending dusk. The red of the unforgiving fire.

It was your fault, your fault—

Because he was noble, compassionate, loyal. With a heart of gold. It was everything that made you fall in love with him and everything you wished he didn’t have. If that meant he could live.

“What the fuck happened to you?”

You raised your eyes to an exasperated Estinien. It was four in the morning, the mist was heavy in the Pillars. You’d been sitting outside the manor for hours already.

If only the Fury knew how broken you looked.

“I…” The words were stuck in your throat. How would you tell somebody that you had been in a time loop with no way to get out? And in that time loop you had to experience the death of your loved one over and over and over again?

“‘Tis fine, you don’t have to tell me.” Estinien shrugged, “Though you should know ‘tis no good to keep everything inside.”

“Huh.” You snickered, “It’s so strange coming from  _ you _ .”

“I’m not the one who looks as if she’s just been to hell and back.” Estinien slapped you on the back, “Cheer up, my partner can’t be this dead on the feet when we are about to rescue that bloody moron Aymeric.”

“How drunk are you?” You elbowed him, “ _ My partner _ can’t be this hangover, you know.”

“Shut up. I’m so bloody pissed.”

“You tell me.”

Silence. Estinien let out a long sigh. The mist was parting.

“If—” You breathed, “If you’d have a chance to start over, would you?”

“Probably,” Estinien replied after a long while, “‘tis natural. If I can go back and save my family I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

“And what if…what if you can’t? What if you try—and fail—and try again—”

The Dragoon frowned at you, “Did you have a nightmare? ‘Tis that what this is about?”

“Something like that.” You laughed hollowly, “And you still haven’t answered the question.”

“I’d go mad. Everyone would ‘Twas my nightmare for decades, just seeing my brother…if I had to experience that more than once I’d end myself and be done with it.”

He left soon after, claiming he needed more sleep before they go and save Aymeric’s arse. And you were all alone again, looking down at the bottomless sea of clouds.

It  _ was _ normal.

Maybe  _ you _ were the problem. Maybe he was dying because you were there making decisions you shouldn’t make. Being in places you shouldn’t be in.

He’d still be the commander if it weren’t for you.

As if you were in a trance, you stepped onto the railings.

If only you could erase everything—

You stepped forward.

The last thing you saw was the red of the sunrise.

Didn’t work.

You woke up, again and again and again, alone in your room with the sinking desperation of despair. The red was haunting as always, and you walked out of that room, only to wake up in it on the same day again.

You lost count after the tenth cycle.

You were not yourself anymore, anyone with eyes could see you withering away but they didn’t know why. Haurchefant was worried, concerned, and you couldn’t bear to see his eyes saddened and his brows knitted together whenever he saw you.

You would have thought after so many times the pain would go away. After witnessing his death over and over and over again you would be numb. It didn’t. You didn’t.

The pain was as raw as the first time, only deeper, carving into places you didn’t know pain existed. It was like a joke played on you by some unknown entity to punish you, for something you didn’t even know.

Regret and grief were burying you alive.

You tried pulling him away from the blow, but only resulted in another attack coming from the Archbishop’s airship.

You tried to tell Estinien to hold him back if he did anything stupid, but apparently even the Azure Dragoon couldn’t stop him from saving you—you had to witness his death the exact same way again.

You even tried to lock him in his own room—an impulsive decision out of sheer desperation, and somehow caused an entire dragon attack to the Last Vigil.

The last time, you chose to lock yourself in your room all day. You knew it was a horrible thing to do and the rescue mission wouldn’t succeed at all—the day rewinded as soon as you closed your eyes.

It brought you to his door when the dawn broke.

“Haurchefant?” You knocked, twice, quiet and uncertain.

The door opened a few seconds later. Haurchefant had yet to change into his chainmail, the linen shirt he wore underneath was well-ironed and it made him more fitting as a noble—like his brothers—than a soldier.

“Good morning!” He smiled brightly at you, then he noticed the circles under your eyes, the hollowness of your expression.

Before he could ask anything, you crashed forward into his arms.

“Careful,” He sounded shocked and frankly, you didn’t blame him, “What’s wrong? You look awful. Here, come in, it’s always cold at this time of the day.”

You wanted to answer him, but the words turned into a choked sob as soon as they left your mouth. Haurchefant’s eyes widened, quickly maneuvering you into his chambers.

You didn’t register being led to sit down on his sofa, didn’t notice he covered your body with a throw, until he sat down beside you, pressing a hot mug of tea into your hands.

You looked at the steaming mug, then at his blue eyes.

“Better?”

You blinked, nodding because it was what you used to do. Pretending. Then you realized and shook your head instead.

He sighed.

“It pains me,” Haurchefant said in a gentle tone, his hands were warm from the tea, “to see you like this. Out of all honesty I have never seen you this fragile, my friend, but you do know that I’ll always be here with you.”

It made your heart break even more.

You put the mug on the side table and leaned over to hide your face in his shoulder. He smelled like fresh snow and cinnamon, tea leaves and fire wood. Haurchefant lifted his hand, hesitated, started to pet your hair carefully.

You told him everything.

“I kept—I kept trying—” Your voice sounded so far away even to your own ears, but you couldn’t stop yourself from spilling out the endless cycle that was burning you alive, “But I can’t, I can’t save you, this must be the hundredth time and I couldn’t think of anything else—

“It’s killing me, Haurchefant. I can’t—but even if I killed myself I couldn’t bring you back—”

“Hush,” He sighed, putting his arms around you, the curve of his lips touching your temple, “I…it makes me angry at myself that I cannot do anything to take your pain away, as I don’t even know how to comfort you.”

“You believe me?” Your voice is muffled but you didn’t want to leave his embrace.

“Anyone would,” Haurchefant whispered, “seeing you so broken, so desperate.”

You didn’t know what to say, so you asked instead, moments later, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you…?”

“That you knew,” You snuffled, “you knew all the time that I’m stupidly, head-over-heels in love with you.”

The Elezen smiled against your hair, “I am, like many others, scared of rejection. I was afraid that I read you wrong and you were only being friendly with me, that I was going to ruin our friendship. You—you are always going to be out there, meeting new people, fighting new battles, and who am I in that grand scheme of things?”

You pulled away at that, and his eyes were affectionate, soft, caring, maybe a little sad.

“You’re everything.” You couldn’t stop yourself, “ _ Everything _ .”

“And I should not be.” He told you softly, holding your hands in his. Without his gloves you could feel the callouses covering his palms, the old scars on the back of his right hand.

“Even though I don’t have memories from those other versions of myself,“ Haurchefant continued, “I understand why I did it. You have so, so many more people to save, you are going to bring the end to this war, a future for Ishgard. You, my dearest friend and my hero, are going to save the country I love.”

You were going to argue with him, that you weren’t a hero, that he had given you way too much credit, but the Knight stopped you before you could say anything.

“But, above all else, I want you to live.” He smiled, his blue eyes shining under the candle light, “Chivalry aside, I am sometimes selfish. Is it so at fault that I wish the person I love can live a long, happy life?”

You broke down. Crying into his embrace. He stayed with you until the sun was high in the sky and you both had to go to the Congregation for the preparation of the mission.

“Haurchefant.”

You called for him outside of the Vault, out of everyone else’s earshot.

“Yes?” He tilted his head, walking closer to you.

You looked up to him, trying to memorize his features, his smile, his brilliant eyes.

“I love you.” You said in a hushed tone, “I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”

He gave you a quick hug, the smell of home and love and safety surrounded you again. They made you feel a little better.

“Perfectly alright.” He was saying, “I love you too.”

You both knew it meant “goodbye”.

But you didn’t tell him that you were a million times more selfish.

You waited, waited, and waited under the bleeding sunset, when Zephirin threw that sharp stake of light toward you.

It was like time was frozen, the light of that spear consumed everything else around you. You reached out with your staff and let your magic run wild. The sheer force of the rawest, plainest power of your aether blew over the platform, and Haurchefant’s voice got drowned into the roaring in your ears.

The light pierced you instead, and the world didn’t shatter.

“Why?”

When you came to, he was kneeling beside you, with a betrayed look on his face. You didn’t blame him, as you made him think you’d accepted his fate.

“Hey…” You coughed, this time it was your own blood mixing with the red of the twilight, “I’m not a bad liar, am I?”

“Stop—don’t talk.” Haurchefant was crying. You had never, ever seen him cry. He was always bright, always perfect around you, didn’t even want you to see him tired or stressed, let alone crying.

“I’ll be fine,” You laughed, but even that was using up what little energy you had left, “I’m the bloody Warrior of Light, the…weapon…against Primals…fucking half-primals shouldn’t have done this much damage—”

Seeing the pained look on his face, you tried to joke again, “Hey, it’s time for Alphinaud to do some real job anyways, let him be the next saviour—”

The world was fading away before you.

You struggled to lift up your hand, to try and touch him one last time, feel his warmth one last time.

You couldn’t.

“Come back to me—” Haurchefant whispered, holding your hand tighter, but you couldn’t really feel anything anymore.

The red was fading, fading—

Until it was no more.

You bolted upright in your own room.

For a moment you thought you were thrown back into the loop again, and the horror made you wanted to scream because how unfair it was—

Until you noticed something different.

Someone was sitting beside you.

There wasn’t anyone sitting beside you when you were in that neverending nightmare.

You slowly turned your head to that familiar presence, and saw Haurchefant, out of his usual attire and fast asleep on a chair near your bed.

“Haurchefant?”

His eyes opened almost instantly, and as soon as he saw you you were engulfed in a warm but tight embrace.

“Ow,” You nudged him instinctively, but quickly snapping back to the situation, “wait, am…am I dreaming?”

“No.” Haurchefant let you go, sitting down on the edge of your bed, “But you were in a coma for a long time, everybody was worried.”

“I thought—” You stared at him, “I thought you died—or I died—wait,”

He chuckled, unbuttoning his shirt, “It was a rather close call, but as you can see—”

His lower chest was wrapped in layers of bandages.

“You…survived?” You whispered, looking up at his smiling face.

Haurchefant nodded, “You tried to heal me, and Master Alphinaud’s theory is that the Echo in you stabled my situation until the healers arrived. You had lost your consciousness right after, according to Estinien. Ser Aymeric was handling everything, so you needn’t to worry.”

“…How long was I out?”

“It has been almost two weeks,” He frowned, “that being said, are you feeling alright? Do I need to call for a healer right away? Forgive me, I’m overwhelmed by the joy to see you awake, forgetting my priorities.”

You shook your head, reaching out to tug him closer. Relief flooding your insides but a part of you was scared senseless, what if this—this was part of a dream too? That you could never wake up. As if sensing your doubts, Haurchefant lifted up your hand, kissing your knuckles one by one. Warm and alive. He still smelled like fresh snow and firewood.

“It’s alright, I’m well, alive, here with you.” He murmured against your skin, “You saved me, my hero.”

You were crying again. Alarmed and panicked, Haurchefant tried to comfort you but the tears kept coming out.

You started to tell him what you dreamed of. The horrors. The helplessness. The despair that had been with you for so, so long. He had shifted in the midst of your monologue to hold you better in his arms, but he didn’t interrupt you, so you kept talking.

“I’m so glad—”

“Shh…” He hushed you, pressing a feathery kiss to your temple, “It was, strangely, what I dreamed of when I was drifting in and out of consciousness. I kept thinking what if I hadn’t blocked that attack and you would be gone the next time I open my eyes.”

“I love you.”  _ So, so much. More than life itself. _

You told him, and he smiled back, like the break of a new dawn.

A few days later, you were preparing for the journey to Azyz Lla to chase after the Archbishop, but not before receiving multiple angry speeches from different people, including, to your shock, Aymeric. Alphinaud had gone to the Abalathia’s Spine and got the necessary information, surprisingly dragging an unwilling Estinien along.

“Oh…and there’s a primal named Bismark…” Alphinaud sighed, “I was going to…you know, contact Lady Iceheart because what if you didn’t wake up—”

“Ugh,” You sighed exasperatedly, “you do know that I just came back from hell, right?”

Haurchefant laughed beside you, “Like I said, you were always meant for greater adventures, love. And since I’m retired from the frontlines, I’ll be back at Dragonhead, waiting for your return.”

“I’ll be back soon.” You smiled at him, earning an embrace in return.

“It’s still so unfair.” Alphinaud whispered, after Haurchefant departed.

“What is?”

“Lord—no, Ser Haurchefant.” He looked over at the direction of the Gate, “He can’t wield a sword anymore.”

“But he lived.” You replied, “It’s a pity, yes, but—”

“You’re right, of course.” Alphinaud shook his head, “I guess that’s the most fortunate thing out of that whole affair.”

Everything was slowly coming back to normal after that.

A few days later, the nightmares were fading away like every other dream. By the time you defeated Thordan and the Heavens’ Ward, the entire experience was like a distant memory. Ysayle’s sacrifice wasn’t for naught, as it practically brought peace, dragons, the heretics, and the new Ishgard back together.

You went back to Dragonhead after everything was settled for the time being.

“You know,” Haurchefant said, as he came out with two mugs of hot chocolate and put one in front of you, “I’d like to think I have more time to deal with paperwork now, as I don’t have to go out there  _ and _ Emmanellain is helping, but for some reason there is more to do.”

You laughed, cradling your mug, warm and comforting, like the man himself, “I’m just surprised Emmanellain isn’t causing more trouble.”

“He is.” Haurchefant shrugged, sitting beside you, “But, on the other hand he is also  _ trying _ , which amused me and Honoroit greatly.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that.” You leaned over to him, “Can I stay?”

“Of course.” He smiled, “As long as you’d like.”

“What if—” You closed your eyes, “What if I want forever?”

He hummed, “That’s also perfectly alright.”

For a long moment, your world was reduced to the steadiness of his heartbeat. Alive. You were both alive.

And all was well.

  
  


END


End file.
